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By Lisa Puster
 When summer arrives, my girls are always so happy to be out of school, sleep in, watch television, play on the computer, go to the neighborhood pool, and enjoy the relaxing, carefree days of summer – all for about the first month. And then it begins – the whining, the fussing, the fighting, THE BOREDOM. Ugh. Just the thought of it makes me want to run from my computer screaming!
I always vow after each summer to plan better entertainment for the following summer but being the procrastinator I am, I never get around to it. So, when my editor assigned me an article on Kids’ Summer Destinations, I was excited to actually have to find out about entertainment options for the kids this summer. I hope all you parents out there will benefit from my findings too.
Great Wolf Lodge
800-551-WOLF
www.greatwolf.com
The first-class year-round resort, offers 79,000 square-foot indoor entertainment area, featuring a water park (there’s also a spacious outdoor pool for the summer months), two-themed family restaurants, a 100+ game arcade, a gift emporium, and an animated Great Clock Tower in the Grand Lobby. 300,000 gallons of fun for the entire family.
Metro Richmond Zoo
8300 Beaver Bridge Rd.
Moseley • (804) 739-5666
www.metrorichmondzoo.com
Open year-round, Monday-Saturday (closed Sunday) from 9:30 until 5:00. Get up close and personal with the giraffes, gentle giants who will eat right out of your hand. See other animals from around the world, including lions, tigers, monkeys, chimpanzees, penguins, gazelles, and various barnyard animals, among many others. A gift shop, food, and ice cream are also available.
Pocahontas State Park
1-800-933-PARK
www.dcr.virginia.gov
Provides a variety of summertime activities, including camping, swimming, trails, fishing, boating, horseback riding (bring your own horse), picnic shelters, nature and history programs, and a visitor center and gift shop.
Ben Franklin Crafts
www.bf-crafts.com
Ben Franklin will be holding one-hour kids’ craft classes this summer. The Midlothian Turnpike location will offer classes at 1pm and 3pm Monday-Thursday (contact other locations for schedules). Crafts include: felt animal puppets, t-shirt art, sky flier kites, photo frames, and a special 2-hour scrapbook class. Prices range from $5-$12 and include all supplies and instruction.
Swader’s Sports Park
4725 Whitehill Boulevard
Prince George • 804-733-3700
www.swaders.com
Batting cages, 36-hole miniature golf, two go-kart tracks, an award-winning driving range and golf lessons, a clubhouse for parties and corporate events, and, coming soon, a new 38,000 square-foot facility housing a variety of entertainment options, including a Lasertron laser tag center.
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